Anybody can write about what happened in a game. Few can explain why it happened and critique the results.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Game 36: Ugly, Embarrassing, and Effortless

Here is to hoping that everyone across the National Hockey League had a great holiday break. But now that it is all over, it is back to business.The Boston Bruins are approaching the halfway point of the season and they have a lot of ground to make up in the Eastern Conference. Even though they are in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, they have some upcoming games against opponents that are ahead of them in the standings. The time to make up some ground begins now.The Bruins took on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night, hoping to end the momentum of a hot team on road ice. The theme on this night: settle some scores and get two points. In the first period, all was good. The Bruins and Blue Jackets each played with a physical nature that accurately portrays the style of hockey the teams wanted to play. The score was even at one, the shots were being racked off at a decent pace, and anyone could have emerged with the victory.Then the second period happened.....The Bruins were outscored 4-1 in the second 20 minutes, forcing Niklas Svedberg to be pulled from the game. When Tuukka Rask entered, it did not get much better--both netminders recorded the exact same stat line. To be fair, the team in front of them did not do anything. They were lazy in the defensive zone and did not come close to getting back into this game. The B's were just looking to get back on the plane to Boston as soon as possible. After a 6-2 loss to the Blue Jackets on this night, this is the type of happening that will quickly humble you. The next game on the schedule for the Bruins will be Monday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Gold Star: Patrice Bergeron...He had a goal, a plus rating, and was one of three Boston players who were 50% or better at the face-off dot.
Black Star: Team effort on this one ......